What is "Incidental Charges"

[girishbhat]

Hello All,
This week I am planning to buy Maruti Alto Lxi. When I go through the price list, I can see a column "Incidental Charges" (Rs.3500) Can somebody advice me what exactly it is? is it includes registration charges..? or something like the insurance..?

[mahadev_kc]

These incidental charges include RTO fee + comission to the agents + dealer margin on this service etc.. and not for INSURENCE.

When I had bought Palio, I've specifically told to do a temp registration, as I myself wanted to do the registration in another city. For this, dealer charged me only 800/- instead of 3000/-. When I registered, the RTO inspector took a bribe of 150/-, that too also in a novice way (asking to buy some NCC day stamps which is no longer valid .. just like showing solidarity with NCC day).

If you have a time to spend a day in RTO, get register the car your self.

One more thing to note is that, these RTO people also ask to get a NSS for Rs 500/- for registration for cars, Rs 50/- for bikes. I'm not sure, whether people got back their NSS certificate or not. I'm sure that there is a big scam is going on what they do with those NSS certificates.

[Technocrat]

Sorry if this sounds dumb but whats a NSS certificate ?

[HappyWheels]

Techno, the main point is not the NSS stamps - its the greasing required! :-)

[BUSA]

Incidental charges are depot charges IMO.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Sorry if this sounds dumb but whats a NSS certificate ?

National Savings Scheme?

Such a certificate is needed for registration here too (AFAIK)

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by mahadev_kc

When I registered, the RTO inspector took a bribe of 150/-, that too also in a novice way (asking to buy some NCC day stamps which is no longer valid .. just like showing solidarity with NCC day).

The government issues various stamps, coupons, etc, from time to time and asks various departments to sell them. Recently, the government of Kerala asked the government of Kerala to sell - guess what - lottery tickets. The sale is routed this way. The government decides the target to be met by each district, and sends the coupons / tickets whatever to the district collector. The District Collector (who happens to be the generalist in the government departments), further divides the lot to each area / office situated in the district. RTOs and sales tax offices are the ones who always get the highest targets. If the target is not met, the concerned individual officer has to pay the amount from his pocket, and then continue to sell the tickets / whatever till he recoups the expenses. In this particular case, the officer has been asked to sell National Cadet Corps "stamps". Apart from NCC stamps, you will get such exotica like TB stamps, AIDS day stamps, army day stamps, navy day stamps (not come across Air Force stamps), and in yonder days of Indo-Russia relationships, tickets to cultural events too were sold through RTO.

One more thing to note is that, these RTO people also ask to get a NSS for Rs 500/- for registration for cars, Rs 50/- for bikes. I'm not sure, whether people got back their NSS certificate or not. I'm sure that there is a big scam is going on what they do with those NSS certificates.

National savings scheme certificates. Usually sold through post offices. You buy them, and submit to the RTO. The rto will take down the numbers of the certificate and go to claim a commission from the Post office. The commission is used to improve facilities in the office. This has to be accounted for by the officers.

This too has the express consent of the government, and often, the govt. fixes targets for each office to do this.

Since you will be writing the name of the owner (yourselves) on the certificate, it is not easy for the officers to appropriate the amounts for yourselves. Normal practise for the offices which I am familiar with is to return the certificates; if you have not got them, chances are that the touts / louts in the RTO have taken them for themselves.

[kuttapan]

Incidental Charges is nothing but bribe. I am sure that the dealer does not pay the whole thing to RTO.

Ever wondered where your free mudflaps etc come from?

[eclectix 1st]

Its just a rip-off with a fancy name attached to it.

I'm pretty sure that the dealer gets to pocket most off the money.

[manjubp]

My company, has clear policy with all car dealers, that company will not pay the incidental charges. Indeed, when one of my friend brought a Indica at Concorde, after all the deals finalised, we were able to negotiate, that we will not pay incidental charges, which means that Registration, number plate, and other expanses like driver, petrol cost to RTO, etc.,

regards,
-manju

[amohit]

Incidental charges according to me include...
the fuel costs for TDs
the "free" basic accessories
the cost of the ribbon
the cost of washing/polishing the car

on a serious note...
shouldnt we raise a voice over this .5% to .75% extra that we are paying for the car. Its high time industry introduces some accoutability abt it.

Regards,

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by amohit

Incidental charges according to me include...
the fuel costs for TDs
the "free" basic accessories
the cost of the ribbon
the cost of washing/polishing the car

on a serious note...
shouldnt we raise a voice over this .5% to .75% extra that we are paying for the car. Its high time industry introduces some accoutability abt it.

Regards,

These should be included in the base price itself. I feel they cover the bribes (RTO does not operate without one!), and some extra moolah for the dealer.

Nothing is free you are paying for it one way or another. Even if the dealer offers you a cup of coffee ultimately this is billed somewhere. Another rip off by the dealers is the inflated price they charge you for the plates.

[amohit]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Another rip off by the dealers is the inflated price they charge you for the plates.

Do they charge for number plates too?? For me mandovi did not charge anything extra!!
I guess it was part of 4.5k that i paid them extra!

Regards,